CHAPTER VI
Continuing the work of fortifying the various hills—End of the first general assault, August 22 and 23—Attacks on Namako Yama from August 24 to September 19.
As soon as Extinct Volcano had been surrendered to the Japanese, I determined to strengthen our present defences by means of trenches and wire entanglements, and had the trenches on Namako Yama and Division Hill extended and deepened accordingly.
I placed the 10th Company in the valley between Extinct Volcano and Division Hill, hoping thereby to fill up the gap between the hills occupied by us.
This done, we had next to set to work to fortify Akasaka Yama, taking the task in hand without a moment’s delay.
I had already commenced a redoubt capable of accommodating one company on the top of Akasaka Yama, which now required finishing, and, in addition, it was necessary to build trenches round the hill for five companies.
Keeping in view the possibility of the enemy breaking through across Extinct Volcano, I fortified the ground between Fort Yi-tzu Shan and Riji Hill[71]and made Division Hill and Namako Yama into two independent commands. We also had to safeguard our communications with Division Hill and Namako Yama which might be exposed to attack. For all this work we wanted tools, material, and men, and we were again short of all three. Luckily, at this difficult time Major Gemmelmann of the Engineers, as well as several non-commissioned officers, was attached to me, so I was able to get some sleep at night. I collected a large store ofmatérielnear the regimental headquarter camp.
After many urgent messages the authorities concerned began to send us wire, bags (for sand), all sorts of iron and steel, and a few tools, and, as before, we procured whatever else was wanted from the stores in the town and from the railway people.
Our regimental horses became quite worn out from hauling heavy materials, such as beams, planks, rails, etc. We had very few carts and wagons for carrying these things, as our baggage wagons were mainly required for bringing up regimental necessaries and stores needed to meet our daily wants.
It is an extraordinary thing how an important fortress like Port Arthur could have been left almost without any vehicles for general service, a want which must be seen and felt to enable one to understand rightly what sufficient transport means in a fortress, and how indispensable it is.
Towards the end of the siege a light railway was laid as far up as my headquarters, but was never worked, probably owing to the want of trucks. I saw the rails, but trucks were conspicuous by their absence. A fortress, like an army, must have its owntransport and the horses necessary for it, or, preferably, be provided with good powerful motor vehicles.
I wanted to construct a splinter-proof observation post for myself and Colonel Irman on one of our hills, but again for want of transport we had to remain throughout the siege at an observation station exposed to the enemy’s fire. We always spent the night at the regimental headquarters, where Colonel Irman’s staff (he was in command of the whole of the western front) also stayed. Our quarters were buildings belonging to the Artillery Headquarters Offices on Red Hill, and a large marquee pitched there served as a mess-room, in which quite a number of us sat down to dinner.
We seldom received any official visits from the town, as we were not out of range of the enemy’s bullets and shell. Two bandsmen were killed near the building, and two wounded, as was also my orderly, Private Ravinski.
However, General Nikizhin rode out fairly frequently to sup with us, and we always looked forward with pleasure to his visits. At all times in the best of spirits, he was a clever and entertaining conversationalist, and invariably brought us some piece of interesting news, so that while he was with us we forgot the monotony of our existence. From him we learned how things were going on in the other sections of the fortress, what attacks had been beaten back, and the latest news of Kuropatkin’s Army.
We used to get through an extraordinary amount of tea, of which the officers, both regimental and staff, had a plentiful supply, thank God! Ourdinners were, however, becoming somewhat meagre—rice soup and roast horse-flesh, with rice garnished with rancid butter or tallow. Supper was of much the same type. Occasionally when the men brought us up a canteen full of “goltsies” (small, dark fish), which they had caught in the horse-ponds, we had a regular banquet.
When I went up to take observations from Red Hill I often shot small birds sitting in the bushes on the slopes of the hill, which we ate with great relish. I think night-hawks, particularly, are most delicious, and I do not know why we do not eat more of them in the ordinary way of living.
There was a small fir-wood behind Red Hill, towards its northern side, which became my favourite place for resting, and was a splendid observation point. One could walk through this wood and breathe the air, heavy with the odour of firs, and at the same time see all the positions. On a bright sunny day every man on the hills round could be seen, and the occupations of the various units defending the positions could be clearly observed. There, on Division Hill, they would be preparing dinner in the kitchens of the 7th Company; a little to the left, the dinners of the 6th Company had already been served out; and along the communication trench a whole company was moving in relief of our scout detachments on the left flank of Division Hill, who were in constant touch with the Japanese.
Under Red Hill was a row of small ponds, used as watering places for the artillery horses. They were a source of real pleasure to our men, whofrequently bathed in them and fished, in spite of bullets and shells constantly splashing into them.
Everything was quiet on 203 Metre Hill, and I was thankful that the Japanese were giving us time to fortify it.
There was a harmless bombardment of Forts Yi-tzu Shan and Ta-an-tzu Shan, all the shells falling short of the former and passing over the latter.
With what terrific force they burst! The gases are not very noticeable, nor do they collect in one large puff, but are whirled away in little streaks scarcely visible to the eye, and then above a cloud of black smoke is seen.
It was a remarkable thing that where the first shell fell “short,” the others all fell short likewise; if “over,” then the remainder fell over.
There was a road between Forts Chi-kuan and Ehr-lung. Standing on this road, one could watch the practice of a certain Japanese gun. The shells, coming across the road from behind the hill, always struck in exactly the same place, which was fought shy of by every one, and this continued throughout the siege, from the beginning to the end. The soldiers used to joke about it, and say that it was some gunner calibrating his gun.
Very few shells burst near my walk through the wood. They all fell on the battery on Red Hill, where Lieutenant Kornilovitch, a most gallant officer, who came from Kiev to Colonel Petrov’s battery, was killed.
I spent much time in the wood on Red Hill, livingagain through all that had passed, and trying not to think of either the present or the future. I always used to say to the men: “Never think about what isgoingto happen to you, but only about whathaspassed.”
I was frequently accompanied in my walks by our doctor, Theodore Troitski. He was ever in good spirits and full of jokes, could always find something interesting to talk about, and so was much sought after. In my spare time, when everything was quiet, I often used to go to the dressing station and drink a bottle of stout with Troitski, which he had managed to get by secret means from some treasured spot. Though many envied him his privileged position, no one could ever find out whence he got his stout.
* * * * *
In order to strengthen the positions, we had to construct, in addition to the trenches, various kinds of obstacles at the most important points.
The favourite device, and the most effective one, was the wire entanglement, but there was very little barbed wire in the fortress.
Certainly, an enormous quantity of barbed wire had necessarily been used for strengthening the main inner defensive line, but when it came to blocking the intervals between the forts (before our arrival in Port Arthur) no one seemed to have thought of fortifying 174 Metre Hill. I do not say this in any spirit of criticism of those who fortified Port Arthur. Naturally they had to strengthen the main line of defence first, and they had not sufficient material for 174 Metre Hill as well.
THEODORE SEMENOVITCH TROITSKI, REGIMENTAL DOCTOR, 5TH REGIMENT.p. 152]
THEODORE SEMENOVITCH TROITSKI, REGIMENTAL DOCTOR, 5TH REGIMENT.p. 152]
THEODORE SEMENOVITCH TROITSKI, REGIMENTAL DOCTOR, 5TH REGIMENT.
p. 152]
The following were covered by wire entanglements: 203 Metre Hill, the left flank of Akasaka Yama (a very short piece), the left flank of Division Hill, and the right flank of Namako Yama. (The space between Extinct Volcano and Namako Yama was strengthened by planks with spikes in them.[72]) To prevent the enemy breaking through between Falshivy Hill[73]and 203 Metre Hill, fougasses were laid, as also between Akasaka Yama and Namako Yama, and on the left flank of Division Hill. These fougasses were much dreaded by the Japanese, and for that reason, perhaps, they did not once attempt to force any of the valleys, but always elected to climb up the most impossible cliffs.
* * * * *
We had suffered many defeats from August 14, and continued to do so until September, the Japanese, thanks to their superiority in artillery, taking hill after hill from us.
Nevertheless, I did not despair, and often consoled General Kondratenko, pointing out to him that the nearer we drew towards our main defensive line, the more effective would become our defence, by reason of the greater facility of communication between the defenders of the various positions.
Anyway, in the centre,[74]where the main Japanese attacks were directed, we successfully defendedourselves, and our successes there raised our spirits considerably.
* * * * *
There were no sheep left. We had eaten them all. We had lamb occasionally for dinner, cut up into very small portions and served as tit-bits, but we lived mainly on rice soup.
It was always very hard to get hay for the horses, and very soon it would become impossible to buy any, and we should have to indent for it. The Government forage stores had not yet been touched.
We sent Lieutenant Bogdanovitch to Pigeon Bay to get us some fish. He brought back a good many, but all were rockfish, which none of us would have looked at a few months before.
As I have already said, on the capture of 174 Metre Hill, we evacuated Connecting Ridge, which the Japanese immediately occupied and began to fortify. They also constructed a strong line of trenches designed to sweep the rear of Namako Yama.
On August 15, I was placed in command of the forts and batteries in the defensive line from Fort Yi-tzu Shan to Fort Ta-yang-kou North.
I had constantly been on all these positions and forts. Fort Ta-an-tzu Shan was the only one completed, while Fort Yi-tzu Shan was finished in the interior, but there were no traverses, and the garrison had to construct some with the help of sand-bags. There were also no caponiers in the ditches, and one could come out on to the gorge[75]from the ditch on the left flank and climb up on to the parapet.Therefore the men composing the garrison themselves made an open caponier at the front corner (chief salient), blocking the approach to it by iron gratings.
Fort Ta-yang-kou North was worked by the garrison throughout the siege. All that the enemy could see was a gigantic pile of hewn stone, in front of which was a ditch about 4 sagenes[76]deep, with vertical escarp and counterscarp cut out of the rock. A bare slope ran down into this ditch from the entrance of the fort. It was intended to have made a gate, but, as there was not time to cut it out, any one was free to come up out of the deep ditch on to this slope, and so, from both sides of the ditch, straight up through the entrance of the fort. Casemates or splinter-proofs were entirely wanting. There was also no defence on the right flank, so that the interior of the fort was plainly visible from the enemy’s artillery positions. The front face and entrance were splendidly flanked, but the left flank was taken completely in reverse by very many Japanese batteries.
With the assistance of some workmen sent up by us the garrison strengthened the right flank with blindages. In the centre of, and behind, the entrance a strong bomb-proof was built, sufficiently large to accommodate the entire garrison. The roof of this bomb-proof was specially made to withstand shells of large calibre (I myself saw the damage caused by an 11-inch shell on the right front of a corner of it, but the bomb-proof itself was not touched). Splinter-proofs for officers and gun detachments werebuilt under the ramparts, and near the right flank a large search-light, with a big steam engine, was placed without any cover whatever.
The space between Forts Yi-tzu Shan and Ta-yang-kou North was covered by an unbroken line of wire entanglements, supplemented by a large number of fougasses, and above them again a line of trenches, which were, however, very shallow and had very thin parapets. We were only able to complete them after our retreat from 174 Metre Hill to our main positions.
Threatened from the side of Extinct Volcano, and enfiladed from Connecting Ridge, Namako Yama was in a dangerous position, the more so, as the trenches on it were absolutely devoid of overhead cover from shrapnel fire. It was a good thing that after the capture of 174 Metre Hill we had constructed long traverses the whole breadth of the hill, so that the enfilade fire from Connecting Ridge had little effect. When the rear of Namako Yama began to suffer from the firing from Connecting Ridge, I posted two quick-firing guns near the road leading up the hill. They demolished the trenches on Connecting Ridge and caused the Japanese to stop their annoying and dangerous fusillade. In order to ensure Namako Yama against night attacks, I blocked the road running along its rear with a row of fougasses, wire entanglements, andchevaux de frisemade out of planks (an excellent obstacle when there is no artillery to demolish it). To prevent a turning movement on the right flank, I laid fougasses there, and extended the trenches on the right flank of Akasaka Yama, where I posted two companies in well-constructed trenches.
In spite of all these measures Namako Yama was very weak, as the trenches were very shallow and unprotected by head cover from shrapnel. Besides that drawback the near slopes of the hill could not everywhere be swept by the fire of the defenders, a serious failing when one had to deal with an enemy such as the Japanese. All this showed me that Namako Yama was in a very precarious state, although defended by six companies.
Taking everything into account, I set to work to strengthen the defences on Akasaka Yama, but want of tools and men delayed the work, more especially so as we had at the same time to strengthen the left flank of Division Hill, which was sadly in need of it. It was possible to see, not only the heads, but even the heels of the riflemen defending the trenches from the direction of Extinct Volcano. It was also impossible for us to reach the hill, so we had to dig at least two long communication trenches. All this required an enormous number of tools and men, and the difficulty of making fortifications was increased by the scarcity of everything needed.
It was fortunate that we had an abundance of rain, yielding streams full of clean, cold, fresh water, and providing bathing and washing places for nearly every company on the position.
203 Metre Hill and Namako Yama were worse off in this respect. The men had to go from there to the artillery horse-ponds near the headquarters of the staff, not accessible without some danger. Second-Lieutenant Ivanov was wounded in the leg there by a stray bullet. There was, however, no other less exposed place available.
On August 22 and 23 the Japanese main assault[77]on the centre of our defensive line was beaten back, the enemy losing very heavily. We were told that all the slopes of the hills attacked were piled up with Japanese bodies, and that the stench was becoming unbearable, from which cause we also suffered, owing to the number of dead on Extinct Volcano.
When Major Zimmermann was wounded on August 22, I appointed Major Moskvin, who had been in charge of administration, to command on Namako Yama. I had great faith in this gallant, energetic officer, and felt assured that the defence of Namako Yama would be safer in his hands than in those of any other man, all our own officers being utterly worn out and requiring immediate rest. Apart from that consideration, they were nearly all wounded.
About this time the following occurrence took place. Lieutenant Frost, our paymaster, Captain Felitzin, and Father Vasili Slounin were put up in my former quarters near the bazaar in the New Town. In the morning (I do not remember at what time) they had only just got up and were drinking tea, when a shell burst in the room in which they were sitting. Captain Felitzin was wounded in the head, as was also Father Slounin (he had some of his hair singed off), and Lieutenant Frost was severely wounded in the head, besides receiving several other minor wounds in the face. Thank God! none of them were killed, and all were soon quite well again.
FATHER VASILI SLOUNIN, CHAPLAIN OF THE 5TH REGIMENT.p. 158]
FATHER VASILI SLOUNIN, CHAPLAIN OF THE 5TH REGIMENT.p. 158]
FATHER VASILI SLOUNIN, CHAPLAIN OF THE 5TH REGIMENT.
p. 158]
Very many of our horses were killed in our two-wheeled carts and company wagons while takingsupplies up to the positions. The horses killed were eaten, thus helping to keep up the physical strength of the rank and file. Many of them did not fancy horse-flesh, but, following the example of others, they ate it, and felt all the better for it. The following incident will serve to prove that horse-flesh was eventually much sought after. I do not remember exactly when it was, but a horse was killed on one occasion near our staff headquarters. That day, for want of men, we did not remove the carcass, and in the morning the horse had gone, a few bloodstains only showing where it had lain. We learnt afterwards that the men on Red Hill had come over, cut it up into chunks, and divided it amongst themselves.
* * * * *
I got up very early on August 24, drank a cup of tea, and, seeing that all was quiet, went to take my constitutional in the wood on Red Hill. It was a glorious morning, and I could plainly see the men on the positions going down to wash.
The smoke of the field kitchens rose up into the clear air; it promised to be a magnificent day.
I cannot remember how long I sat there amongst the fragrant green trees, but I should have stayed some considerable time if I had not been hailed from below. Some one called to me to go with Colonel Irman to Fort Ta-yang-kou North, upon which I quickly descended the hill, found my horse already saddled, and in a few minutes we had reached the fort mentioned by the town road. It would not have been safe to have gone straight across.
About half-way we passed a battery of 42-mm. guns (No. 4 Redoubt).
I pointed out to the commander of this battery the end of a Japanese trench, where our scouts said there were some Japanese machine guns which interfered with our sorties. The embrasures for these guns were plainly visible through glasses.
Our guns were quickly laid on the target, and after a few ranging shots the shells began to fall with extraordinary accuracy.
The dangerous end of the trench was destroyed, but I think the guns remained untouched, perhaps because the Japanese, anticipating the impending bombardment, had removed them to another spot. It would, however, give them a whole night’s work to put them into position again. The 42-mm. gun is a very accurate weapon, and it is a pity that the effect of its high-explosive shell is so slight as to render it good only for dismounting the enemy’s pieces. The gun is sufficiently mobile to be capable of quick and sudden concentration on any fully exposed hostile battery, a contingency which would, however, rarely occur, as nowadays all batteries are carefully hidden from the enemy’s view. Pieces, however, of this type are incapable of coping with heavy guns, and one would not advocate having many of them in a fortress. Their real place is in reserve, and not in batteries on the main fighting positions.
The enemy did not fire a single shot in reply to the 42-mm. guns and we quietly rode on to Fort Ta-yang-kou North, which we reached a few minutes later.
Everything was quiet at the fort. The men worked steadily and without hindrance, but there was an enormous amount to be done, the task undertakenby the garrison being to construct a covered trench as well as some splinter-proofs. Splinter-proofs for the gun detachments and officers had already been constructed, so the fort became more or less self-contained and able to put up a good defence.
Our riflemen had originally been posted outside the fort, but, with the completion of a large bomb-proof and covered way with traverses inside, it was possible for them to occupy the real defensive line and live in the fort. As always, the officers received us gladly, gave us tea, and then took us on a tour of inspection. Every one was at his post. The work was going on apace, and Captain Versi, of the Naval Construction Department, who was superintending the work on the fort, displayed great energy and resource. The exits from the ditch were covered, and the flank ditches well enfiladed from both sides.
A large bomb-proof, impervious alike to rifle and shell fire, was being constructed for the reserve, but the ground was solid rock, and so the work was slow. We had finished our inspection and were talking to the commandant in a splinter-proof, when we heard a loud crash, caused by the bursting of a large Japanese shell somewhere near.
We all followed Colonel Irman out of the shelter. The gun detachments were working at their guns, laying them on some far-distant point from which the enemy’s shell had come. It was dangerous to stand in the open, so with Colonel Irman I ran to the nearest gun, where the signaller could always give warning of the coming of a shell. Ere the guns had been correctly laid, the signaller shouted: “Lookout!” I ran quickly down into a traverse with some sailors. The enemy’s shell screamed over our heads, and burst with a tremendous report on the traverse of No. 2 gun. In the twinkling of an eye, the sailors were at their places and the two 6-inch Canet guns[78]roared forth. I jumped up to see where our shells fell, and clearly saw two puffs of smoke on a very far-distant hill, right behind the Japanese positions. “Do you mean to say there is anything there?” I said to the gun captain of No. 1 gun. “Yes, sir, it is there all right, we noticed it a long time ago.” Again the signaller shouted: “Look out!” and we again rushed under cover while the shell shrieked over us, but this time it went a long way over and burst somewhere behind the fort. Almost before it had struck, the sailors were at their guns and two more shells were sent towards the same spot, and then other forts joined in adding to the death and destruction.
This artillery duel continued for a long time. We alternately came out to observe and ran back under cover. Colonel Irman was much more indifferent to danger than I was. It seemed to me that my position behind the traverse was not a particularly safe one, and I decided to change it for a bomb-proof. At the next shout of “Look out!” I put my idea into execution, but with unfortunate results. A number of men rushed with me towards the point of safety, we tumbled one on top of the other, and I found myself among those who had not time to get into the bomb-proof before the enemy’s shell fell behind us,burst with a deafening report, and buried us in smoke, stones, and dust.
Luckily, none of us were badly hurt, but I had a large bruise on my back to carry away with me as a memento of the occasion.
We had paid no attention to the other hills during this bombardment, but now we saw that the Japanese were evidently preparing for something very important.
When peace reigned again on Fort Ta-yang-kou North, we noticed that 203 Metre Hill was wreathed in smoke from bursting shell. Apparently, instead of the usual daily allowance of two or three dozen shell, the Japanese had already expended more than a hundred rounds on it. This caused us much anxiety, and we galloped off as hard as we could go to the position of the staff. When we arrived, we received a message from 203 Metre Hill from Major Stempnevski to the effect that the enemy was sweeping the hill with artillery, and that the left flank of our trenches had suffered severely from shell fire.
Namako Yama was also being heavily bombarded, and it was evident that an assault was imminent. It would be difficult to hold this hill, as it was swept from front to rear and from flank to flank. We could hear very heavy firing from the north-eastern section too, where the situation was evidently even more serious than with us. Namako Yama was fairly strongly held by six companies.[79]On the right flank were two 6-inch guns and one quick-firing gun, with Lieutenant Kolmakov in command. On 203 Metre Hill there were only two companies, the 2ndand 4th of the 5th Regiment, and two quick-firing guns (I do not count the two short 6-inch guns, as they had been silenced long before). Fearing for the safety of 203 Metre Hill, I sent another company there from the reserve.
Compared with other points, the position of the defenders there was serious. Food could only be taken up to them at night, and there being no water at all on the hill, that had to be carried up at night also. It was impossible for any one to show himself on the skyline. As the enemy was within a stone’s-throw of the defenders, eight patrols of six men each had to be furnished at night. There were no junior officers in the companies, and gun ammunition was very scarce.
Foreseeing the capture of 174 Metre Hill, we had actually begun to fortify Namako Yama on August 11. The work itself was very heavy, besides which the rocky nature of the soil and the want of tools hampered us greatly. A battery for two long 6-inch guns had been previously constructed on the hill and a road made leading up to it. The men only worked at night, as it would have been madness to do so in the daytime in face of the enemy’s heavy fire. It was even dangerous to move about, and every day we had several men killed there. The total number of defenders amounted to about 500 men. By day one section out of each company was in the trenches and furnished sentries for observation purposes, while three sections slept behind the slope of the road, which ran the whole length of the hill, where small splinter-proofs had been made out of planks. After dinner at night the garrison of thepost started work, covering itself with a line of outposts.
On the night of August 25–26 I was awakened by heavy rifle firing in the direction of Division Hill. Soon an orderly galloped up with the report that the Japanese were climbing up Namako Yama. I threw on my clothes and galloped off towards Namako Yama, ordering two reserve companies, posted near the regimental staff quarters, to proceed there immediately.
Having reached a spur of Akasaka Yama, I began to watch the battle. The weather was as bad as it could be, a strong wind was blowing, and it was raining as well. I felt quite confident, knowing that if the enemy had not succeeded in coming up unobserved and taking our men by surprise, he would certainly be beaten back.
At this time our batteries opened fire, at Colonel Irman’s orders, on the valley in front of Namako Yama, and the whole foreground was lit up by our star-rockets. In another half-hour our reserve companies came up, and Colonel Irman also arrived.
Several wounded men who were being carried back from the hill told us that the Japanese had not climbed up any farther, but were firing from below, which meant they had been driven off.
In half an hour the firing ceased, and Major Moskvin reported that the assault had been beaten back with heavy losses to the enemy, who tried to take us by surprise, but was discovered in good time by the standing sentries, whose warnings had given our men time to get to their posts.
We had 4 men killed and 16 wounded.
After this attack we made a communication trench from the road above along the hill to the advanced trenches, because all our casualties had occurred as our men were running to occupy their trenches.
On the night of September 1–2 the Japanese again tried to take Namako Yama by surprise, but were driven off by rifle fire and retreated behind 174 Metre Hill after suffering heavily. We had Lieutenant Afanaisev and 6 sailors wounded.
For the repulse of these two night attacks, Major Moskvin received the thanks of the General Officer Commanding, in General Orders, and he and a number of other officers were recommended for rewards, but they never got them, owing to the list of rewards recommended being lost.
After these attacks Colonel Irman and I proceeded to Namako Yama on a visit of inspection, as the Japanese had evidently chosen it as their point of attack.
This inspection left me with a very bad impression. The trenches were still very shallow, of overhead cover there was practically none, and the enemy had posted some batteries behind 174 Metre Hill and on the slopes of the hills in front of it at a very short range from us; but our men were in splendid spirits, in spite of the constant heavy fire.
On September 8 the company of Marines on the right flank was relieved by No. 7 Company of the 28th Regiment. This company had not shown up very well during the fighting on 174 Metre Hill, but I had no other unit to send up, and I thought that it would be anxious to redeem its reputation.
From September 8 to 17, things were fairly quieton Namako Yama, but at the dinner hour, about twelve o’clock, on the 17th, the Japanese (about one company) made a rush from Extinct Volcano against the right flank of Namako Yama, and captured the trench occupied by the 7th Company of the 28th Regiment without firing a shot. The men of the company were having their dinners at the moment, and had not time to seize their arms before the Japanese were in the trench. Hearing of this by telephone from Division Hill, I immediately telephoned an order that the Japanese were to be driven out of the trench, and received an answer to the effect that Major Moskvin had ordered the 7th Company to reoccupy their trench without delay. This company, however, proved unequal to the task.
An attack by the 1st Company of Marines was also not wholly successful, as, though a part of the right flank of the trench was retaken, the Japanese held the other end, and blocked it with rocks and sand-bags.
Alarmed at such a state of affairs, I went with Colonel Irman to the hill. I personally inspected the place where the Japanese were lodged. They did not show themselves at all, and there was not a sign of life anywhere. They had built up a strong barricade, so high that a man could not climb up it without the help of another.
We could easily have dislodged them with hand grenades, but we had none. It was absolutely essential that we should drive them out, and as it seemed to me that it could best be done at night, I gave orders to that effect accordingly. For some reason, however, the attack did not come off, the commandantcontenting himself with fortifying a small knoll on the right flank of the Japanese.
On the morning of September 18 the enemy opened such a terrific fire on the hill with rifles and five guns that came into action at a very short range, that all our trenches were knocked to pieces, and we suffered heavy losses.
On this day that splendid officer, Captain Saltovski, commanding the 9th Company, was killed, and the company itself lost 26 killed and 49 wounded.
The enemy attacked the hill during the day and captured the advanced trenches of our 9th Company, but the gallant fellows, quite unaided, reassembled on the crest-line, charged with the bayonet, and recaptured their ruined trenches. The hill was in a hopeless plight. Surrounded on all sides, it was an impossible position.
Colonel Irman and I sent a report to this effect to General Kondratenko, and then rode off to Akasaka Yama to observe and discuss the chances of holding the hill if it continued to be deluged with such a fearful fire from all sides.
Apparently there were sufficient men to defend the hill. To send up reinforcements only meant subjecting them to the enemy’s deadly fire, as all cover had been demolished, and, moreover, the commandant did not ask for help, although expecting an attack every moment.
The Japanese concentrated under the hill in considerable numbers, concealing themselves very cleverly in the folds of the ground. However, we moved the reserve nearer the hill, but kept the 10th Company, which was placed on the right flank of AkasakaYama, in its former position. Thus the whole day passed. Our 9th Company fought minus officers. Themoralof the troops under this deadly fire was extraordinary. Towards evening the firing died down, dinners were sent up to the men, and one company (the 12th of the 13th Regiment, I think) was sent as a reinforcement to help to hold the place during the night.
Early on the morning of September 19 Colonel Irman and I proceeded to our observation station. Firing had already commenced, especially against 203 Metre Hill and Namako Yama. We received a report that the Japanese were moving in force against these hills, so we expected an attack on both of them simultaneously. I therefore moved my reserves to the hollow behind Akasaka Yama, so that they should be under my hand and easily despatched to either 203 Metre Hill or Namako Yama. The situation was unchanged, but our men were suffering severely from the artillery fire. Hence we came to the conclusion that the Japanese intended to leave things as they were, and compel us to evacuate the hill without making an attack.
Towards evening Colonel Irman and I became convinced that the Japanese did not intend to attack, as I had received no reports to the contrary from the hills. The only report sent in by Major Moskvin was to the effect that he was organizing an attack on the trenches occupied by the Japanese, and that, by enfilade fire from the left of the hill, he had annihilated 1,000 Japanese who had been lying down under 203 Metre Hill.
I was delighted at this success. About 6 p.m.Captain Sirotko, of the Frontier Guard, who was attached to my regiment, joined me on Akasaka Yama. I immediately sent him to command our 9th Company on Namako Yama. In the evening the firing again slackened, dinners were sent up, and a reinforcement of one company of the Reserve Battalion detailed for assisting in the night’s work. That night I inspected the works on 203 Metre Hill and Namako Yama. Those on the former were practically undamaged, but on the latter all were destroyed. I spent the night with my orderlies in a ravine behind the 10th Company, in the dug-out of the officer commanding the 10th Company, and slept for three hours.